Five Elements Theory & Nutrition

A useful theory in the Chinese view of the universe is the Five Elements Theory or the Five Energy Transformations. This gives one a helpful framework to understand the ever changing world--the inner relationship of change & the inter-connectedness of all things. (Note: Read the following from beginning to end without judgment & see how it really holds together!!!)

The Five Elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal & Water form a sequence called the creation cycle. This cycle occurs in nature as well as within our bodies. To help remember this cycle consider the following images: In nature, rub two pieces of wood together and create fire, fire burns to ash and becomes earth, from earth we dig up metal, melt the metal to liquid (similar to water); put a seed into the water and it germinates into a tree & creates wood. It is a circular & repetitive cycle.

In the creation cycle, the creator element is called the mother who gives birth to the son element. Thus, if the son is weak/deficient, we can nourish it’s mother & thereby benefit the son. So, if there is not enough Fire corresponding to the Heart, we would strengthen the Wood organ, the Liver, with proper food or herbs.  (Note: Each ELEMENT has paired ORGAN  correspondence)

There is a useful relationship between the colors of food, the Five Elements & corresponding body systems. Green foods nourish the Liver, Yellow & orange foods nourish the Spleen and Stomach; Red foods nourish the Heart; White foods nourish the Lungs; Black/dark blue foods nourish the Kidneys.

So, a person with weak digestion (Spleen weakness–Chinese View) should include plenty of the yellow & orange foods such as sweet potatoes & winter squashes, as these are the colors that correspond to the Earth element or the Spleen organ.  One with heart weakness would do well to eat more red foods such as tomatoes & hawthorn berries, as red corresponds to the Fire element and the Heart organ.

Another relationship that occurs (Note: We are going deeper into theory) within the Five Elements is the Control Cycle. To help remember this cycle consider these images: we take wood, a tree, for example, whose roots invade the earth; we take earth and build a dam to control water; water puts out fire; fire melts down the metal; metal makes the ax that cuts the wood. If wood (liver) becomes excessive, manifesting as hypertension, red eyes, headache, etc, we would want to strengthen the Metal element (lungs) to control the Wood element.

The physical sensation of taste has significance in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Many texts refer to the Five Tastes or flavors & two sub-tastes. These five tastes are sour, bitter, sweet, pungent & salty, The other two are bland under sweet category & astringent which goes under sour category.

When a substance such as food or an herb goes into the gastrointestinal tract to be digested: The

sour taste is said to be absorbed by the Liver & Gallbladder, the bitter taste by the Heart & Small Intestine, the sweet taste by the Spleen & Stomach, the pungent taste by the Lungs & Large Intestines & the salty taste by the Kidney & Bladder. Therefore, foods and herbs with different energies & tastes are assimilated into the body to nourish different organs!

Take for example someone with digestive difficulties as in a weakness of Spleen & Stomach: he or she often likes to eat sweets. Contrary to Western medicine, TCM utilizes foods that are slightly sweet to strengthen the Spleen and Stomach, such as yams or winter squash. Moderate consumption of food with a given taste will benefit the organs that correspond to that taste.

Pungent is a taste that has the functions of dispersing, invigorating and promoting circulation.  Its function of dispersing is mainly used to disperse pathogens from the exterior of the body, such as we see in common colds and flu.  Its function of invigorating is to promote circulation of Qi, blood, and body fluid.  In Chinese Medicine, disease is the result of stagnation.  Pathological conditions of stagnation can be seen as local pain, irregular menstruation, painful menstruation, edema, tumors, and so on.  Pungent foods can invigorate circulation and help relieve such problems.  This is a way to dispel pathogens from the body.  Examples of pungent tasting food are ginger, garlic and mint.

Sour taste has absorbing, consolidating and astringent functions.  It aids in stopping abnormal discharge of body fluids and substances such as excessive perspiration, diarrhea, seminal emission, spermatorrhea, enuresis and so on.  Examples of sour foods are Chinese sour plum, lemon and vinegar.

Bitter tasting substances have the action of drying dampness and dispersing. Often bitter also clears heat.  Bitter aids conditions like dampness or edema (swelling due to water retention).  Its function of dispersing obstruction can be utilized in cough due to Qi stagnation and so forth.  Examples of bitter tasting foods are rhubarb, apricot kernels, and kale.

Salty taste has the function of softening and dissolving hardenings.  It also moistens and lubricates the intestines.  Body symptoms such as lumps, nods, masses, cysts and so on can be softened and dissolved by salty substances.  An example is goiter treated by seaweed, a salty flavored food.  Also, for constipation one can drink salt water to lubricate the intestines.

Sweet taste has the action of tonifying, harmonizing and decelerating.  In cases of fatigue or deficiency, sweet substances have a reinforcing and strengthening action.  Deficiencies may occur in different aspects of the body, such as insufficiency of Qi, blood, Yin or Yang.  Specific organs may suffer from weakness also.  This is why one is drawn to sweet when he or she is experiencing low energy.  Sweet taste is also used to decelerate, which means to relax.  It is used in conditions of acute pain to help relax and ease pain.  Sweet foods or herbs can harmonize as an antidote or counter balance to undesirable effects from some herbs.  Examples of sweet tasting foods are yams, corn and rice.  Bland taste falls under the sweet taste category.  It tends to be diuretic, promotes urination and relieves edema (swelling).  An example of a bland tasting food is pearl barley.